Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Contribute To The Subversion Of Innate Immunity During Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Infection, Cortney E. Heim

Theses & Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature monocytes and granulocytes that are potent inhibitors of T cell activation. A role for MDSCs in bacterial infections has only recently emerged, and our laboratory was the first to demonstrate a functional role for MDSCs during Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) biofilm infection. Biofilm infections often lead to significant morbidity due to their recalcitrance to antibiotics and ability to subvert immune-mediated clearance by skewing the immune response toward an anti-inflammatory, pro-fibrotic phenotype. Therefore, we examined whether MDSCs could play a role in this process. CD11b⁺Gr-1⁺ MDSCs …